America’s founding fathers didn’t want a dominating federal government. So they split its powers among Congress, the president (executive) and the courts. The top judicial body, the Supreme Court, is made up of justices nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. If the justices then meet the Constitution’s sole requirement for the job — “good behavior” — they remain on the court until voluntary retirement or death. The system was designed to keep these judges free from election pressures. Nevertheless, the court’s decisions on issues ranging from race relations to presidential reach have grown more polarized in recent ...